Improvement in grain-binders



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.`

u. wqHoBBs.

Grain Binder@ Patented om. 23, 1877.

WITNEEEEE.'

N. PI'ERS. PMOT0-UTHOGRPHU, WASHINGTON. D. C.

G. W. HOBBS. Grain Binder.

No. 196,452. Patented oct. 23, 1877*.

",PETERS. PHOU-Ll-THOGRAFNER. WASHXNGTON, D C:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HOBBS, OF APPLE CREEK, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-BINDERS.

'A Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,452, datedOctober 23, 1877 application tiled April 21, 1877.

, To all whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. HoBBs, of Apple Creek, in the county ofWayne and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Grain Binders; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a binder attachment for reapers, as will be hereinafter more fullyset forth.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate myinvention.

A represents the platform of the reaper, upon which the gram falls as itis cut by the cutter-bar. Under this platform is arranged the packingmechanism, consisting of two compound levers, B B, arranged on thelazy-tongs principle. One end of each lazy-tongs B is attached to astationary cross-bar under the platform, and the other end attached to ablock, C, said blocks sliding upon stationary rods D D, as shown. In thecenter of each lazy-tongs B are two Springteeth, a a, which inclineforward so that about one-third thereof will project above the platformA. The obj eet of these teeth is to gather and pack the sheaf insections, and to givemotion to the first part of the sheaf, so as tokeep it moving in front of the rear part, which will prevent anydrifting of straw over the rake-teeth.

Each sliding block O is provided with a guide, E, to hold it straightupon -the rod D, and each lazy-tongs B has also a ring, b, around saidrod, to cause it to work properly. -In longitudinal slots in the blocksO is placed the rake-head d, whichis provided with a crank, d', betweensaid blocks. e c are the rake-teeth, in front of which the blocks arecut away, and in rear of them the blocks form rests for the teeth, toprevent backward motion, the teeth being bent at their inner ends, asshown, to correspond with the shape of the blocks. The crank d in thecenter of the rake-head gives leverage, and is attached to an -endlesschain, G, by which the rake is moved back and forward, and up and down.This crank also takes the power off the center of the rake-head when theteeth rise.

The rake-teeth e stand upright as the rakehead is being drawn toward thebinder, and until they have passed the latch J. As the head movesbackward, one of these teeth strikes against the back of the latch, andturns the crank-shaft partly around, thereby depressing the teeth belowthe level of the platform. The pull of the chain G upon the crank dturns the shaft d back into position, thereby raising the teeth upwardagain. The teeth a are fastened at the joints of the tongs B, so that asthe tongs are extended these teeth are moved farther and farther apart,and as the tongs are contracted they are drawn nearer and nearertogether. As these teeth a move backward, they sink down between theslats, so as not to interfere with the grain that has fallen upon theplatform.

In the rake-head d, on one side of the crank d', is a notch, w, which,when the rake passes to the extreme outer end of the platform, enters aspring-latch, f, to prevent any forward motion of the rake until theteeth rise up,.at which time the notch assumes another position by apartial revolution of the head, and causes the spring-latch to releasethe rake and allow it to pass forward. Thus any forward motion of therake is prevented while.

the rake-teeth are down. j

On top of the platform A, at the .inner end, is secured the binderheadH', and in a slotted projection at the bottom thereof is pivoted thebinder-arm I. The binder-head is constructed to form part of a circle inwhich the grain is forced and bound. In the center of the frontcross-tie of the binder-head is made the noose-hole i, and above thesame, in said cross-tie, is the noose-slide 7L, which is movable out andin. Four wires, 7c, project forward from the head, to keep the strawfrom the noos'e-hole i, and to keep the grain from rising up when forcedon the string, so that the grain will be boimded on the upper side bysaid wires 7c, on the lower side by the platform, on the rake side bythe rake, and on the opposite side by the string, and hence there is noway left for the grain to escape the string.

The string sis drawn from the spool K back of the binder-head, passedthrough the end of the tension-sprin g M, forward through the loop m onthe rear end of the binder-arm I, and then horizontally forward througha hole in the arm, and up vertically through another hole, i', in theextreme end of the arm, as shown. As the chain moves forward, one of thelinks t on the chain catches in the cam p, and raises the outer end ofthe arm I upward until the end passes through the noose-hole fi,carrying the string with it.

The end of the string is held in the right hand, the noose made over theleft hand, as shown in Fig. 8, from six to eight inches from the end inthe right hand, and placed on the noose-slide h. When the latch J isoperated by one of the rake-teeth e, the binder-arm I rises, and afterit passes through the noose the end of the string is put through theslot n in the end of the arm. Then, holding onto the string while thebinder-arm is reacted back under the latch J, the noose-slide h ispushed in to release the noose, and the end of the string is drawn on,which will draw the noose out and thus form the junction. The nooseshould not be more than one half inch in size. Then the string is cutbetween the sheaf and the latch, and the string then drawn off thespool, as before.

The binder that manipulates the string is seated on the seat L, directlyin front of the spool.

The binder-arm I, when in the noose, forms a part of the circle aroundthe bundle while it is being bound, and carries the string into thenoose. The pivot of the arm I is on a line of the circle, and the partprojecting below the pivot forms the binder-arm lever I. On this leveris a cam, p, which is operated by a camlink, t, on the chain G, to openand close the arm.

The string s passes from the -spool K to and through an eye in a take-upspring, M, and from thence through the seat and binder-head 5 thenthrough an eye in the lower end of lever I', thence through the arm I,near the point, and through the point in a direction toward the spool.

The cam-link t of the chain G also operates a straw-guard, N, at theouter end ofthe platform A. This straw-guard is a little curved, andhinged to the platform. On Jdie under side of this guard is placed adouble cam, c fv, theupper side, fv, of said double cam being largeenough to let the link t pass through. Thel link then stops its forwardmotion, and is, by a spring, w, forced into the lower cam, o', and thiscam being too small to let the link t pass back, the link will 'force itout of its way, at which time the guard N will rise and throw the grainforward. At the same time the chain tumbles the rake behind the grain;then, when the cam-link passes the eXtreme point of the cam, the guard Nwill drop and resume its position. By these means the rake obtains itsposition behind the grain that actually fell behind the rake.

The endless chain G passes over suitable pulleys, one of which is on ashaft operated by suitable gearing, so that the chain will obtain areciprocating motion.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The packing mechanism herein described, consisting of the lazy-tongsB and spring-teeth c, in connection with the rake d e, binder-arm I, andhead II, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the lazy-tongs B, sliding blocks C, with braces E,guide-rods D, teeth a, rake d e, endless chain Gr, binder-arm I, andhead I-I, all substantially as shown.

3. The binder-head H, constructed as described, and provided with wiresk, noose hole and slot i i', and noose-slide h, as and for the purposesset forth.

4. The latch J, in combination with the binder-arm I and one of therake-teeth e, substantially as described.

5. The cam p on the binder-arm, and lever I', in combination with thecam-link t on the chain'G, for the purposes specified.

6. The hinged straw-guard N, arranged on the platform A, and operated bymeans of the double cam 'v t', spring w, and cam-link t, substantiallyas shown.

7 The noose-slide h, projecting through the front of the cross-tie ofthe binder-head, and made movable back and forth, so as to release thenoose when the binder-arm has reacted, substantially as shown. Y

8. The binder-arm I, having a hole in its end, through which thebinding-cord s passes, and slot n, and provided with the lever I and camp, in combination with the links t, whereby the binder-arm is operated,and the string carried through the noose-hole fi, so that the knot maybe tied, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this28th day of March, 1877.

GEORGE W. HOBBS.

Witnesses:

I. M. MERRIMAN, A. H. JAMEsoN.

